Erik Karlsson Headed To Bingo

The Ottawa Senators announced that they have sent top prospect Erik Karlsson to their AHL affiliate in Binghamton.

While Karlsson was apparently quite upset with the news, he is expected to report to Binghamton. There was some speculation he could be returned to Sweden, but the Senators decided a demotion to the AHL was best for his development.

Karlsson had suited up in the Senators' first nine games this season, and had he played one more game, would have triggered the first year of his entry level deal.

The undersized defenseman can now spend some time in the AHL, get top pairing minutes and work on adjusting to the North American game.

This certainly isn't the outcome Karlsson was hoping for but in the end should be best for his career as an NHL player. Karlsson had shown signs of improvement in the early stages of the season but just didn't seem comfortable with the physical side of the game.

Completely understandable for a 170 pound 19 year old.

The news comes at the same time that the Senators are hoping to have Filip Kuba return to the line up. Kuba is expected to dress tomorrow in Florida.